How to Get Rid Of Gnats Outside

This page is an expert guide on getting rid of outdoor gnats using the products and methods suggested by our experienced pest control specialists. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee you will eliminate gnats outside of your home.

Gnats are annoying pests that can commonly invade a household. However, their peskiness is not limited to indoor potted plants -- as a matter of fact, they even like to attack plants outdoors and are often found infesting our backyards.

Adult Gnats can be problematic but it is their larvae that can be the biggest threat to your plants and grass. As frustrating as it can be to encounter an infestation of gnats outside, they are not invincible. With the help of superior products and expert tips from Solutions Pest & Lawn, you can send these gnats on a run from your backyard.

Identification

It is important to first properly identify the pest you are dealing with to be a Gnat so you can approach treatment in a way that is effective. Misidentification can lead to carrying out the wrong treatment methods which cost will cost you time and money.

Gnats are extremely small in size yet awfully large with the trouble they cause. Not only do they occasionally bite, but they also feed on plant roots. Gnats are often confused with mosquitoes but can be differentiated from their size.

• Gnats usually reach 1/8th of an inch in length, while Mosquitoes are double the size at 1/4th of an inch long. Gnat larvae are white or clear colored and 1/4th of an inch long.
• Gnats have black or brown bodies, six long legs and long wings.
• Biting gnats will slice through flesh rather than pierce through flesh as mosquitoes do. 
• Leaving gnats untreated in the house or in the yard can be problematic because they don’t take much time to produce larvae and multiply in numbers. Since they are weak fliers, they can linger around even more than flies and mosquitoes do.
• Gnat larvae are usually more of a concern to people than adult gnats because of their potential of damaging plants and turfgrass. When there are heavy infestations of gnats, the larvae even end up killing the plants with their relentless feeding habits and tendency to spreading diseases.

Gnats should be treated the second they are spotted because if left to their own devices and allowed to grow and feed, they’ll grow rapidly and begin breeding inside and outside your house.

Inspection

Once you have confirmed that you are dealing with Gnats, you need to carry out an inspection to determine where they are congregating and how severe of an infestation is present.

Gnats don't show up around your yard or garden without a reason. Often times it is because they have been drawn to your property via a fungal source or some sort of moisture or rotting organic matter since these are prime places for them to lay their eggs.

Where To Look

Check around your yard and garden to see where the Gnats are gathering. It could be from a plant that has developed a fungal disease or any damp area that is drawing them over.

What To Look For 

You should be looking for adult gnats or their larvae. Outdoors, fungus Gnats may be discovered around dead leaves, rotting firewood, compost piles, and in shaded areas that have a lot of mulch and may have been excessively watered. Check for mold, fungus or any decaying plants.

Treatment

Getting rid of gnats outdoors is slightly trickier than getting rid of them indoors. Gnats in the garden mean you’ll have to resort to measures that will cover a wider area and one of the most effective methods of doing so is a broadcast spray of professional insecticide concentrates.

Once you have confirmed where Gnats are gathering, it is time to begin treatment. Remember to read all product labels and follow the application instructions on these labels and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

To get rid of Gnats outside, remove moisture around your home and then apply a combination of Flex 10-10 Insecticide and Martin's IG Regulator.

Flex 10-10 is a pyrethrin-based insecticide concentrate that is known for a long residual and quick knockdown of a variety of pests, including gnats. While it's great for killing flying adult gnats, it cannot control the larvae and eggs; that's where Martin's IG Regulator comes in.

Martin's IG Regulator is an IGR (insect growth regulator). An IGR is a chemical that interferes with or hinders the development of insect larvae and eggs so they don't mature into adults. A combination of both these products will result in total control of your gnat problem for up to 7 months.

Step 1 - Measure the Treatment Area

Before applying the pesticides, you will need to figure out how much product you will need. To treat gnats, 6.4 oz of Flex 10-10 is suggested per gallon of water to treat 1,000 square feet of surface. For Martin's IG Regulator, 1 fl. oz. per gallon of water is suggested to treat 1,000 square feet. Measure the square footage (length x width) of your treatment area to determine the appropriate amount needed of both products.

Step 2 - Mix The Flex 10-10 and Martin's IG Regulator

In a hand-pump gallon sprayer, fill the sprayer halfway with water and then mix in the appropriate measured amount of Flex 10-10 and Martin's IG Regulator based on your calculations. Fill the sprayer with the remaining half of water and shake well. Once the product is well mixed you can then broadcast spray a light mist (via fan spray setting) over all the plants and in the soil.

Pump the sprayer a few times to create a low-pressure spray and you are ready to apply.

Step 3 - Spray Areas with The Flex 10-10/Martin's IGR Solution

Once the product is well mixed you can then broadcast spray a light mist (via fan spray setting) over all the infested plants and in the soil. Coat the plants with the solution until wet but be careful not to spray to the point of runoff. Be sure to treat bushes, trees and around the sites where there is excessive moisture.

Wait a few days and then check for gnat activity. Apply as needed in 2 to 4 week intervals as needed until the gnats are gone.

Alternatively, you can apply Flex 10-10 using an Automatic Misting System. Apply at a 1:100 dilution ratio of product to water. In high pest pressure situations, you can use a 1:55 dilution ratio. A properly calibrated misting system must not apply more than the max daily rate of 0.09 fl. oz. per 1,000 cubic feet.

Prevention

Once the gnats on your property have been eradicated and the damage has ceased, you need to make sure they don't make a return. In order to do this, you need to conduct preventative measures.

When you water your lawn, water 1 to 1.5 inches once per week. Make sure that once your plants are watered, the soil is completely dry with no remains of logged water anywhere. The lesser moisture there is the more chances of gnats to deteriorate. Amending the garden soil will also improve drainage. And most importantly, change the water in the birdbaths and other containers daily.

Whenever you trim your garden, collect all the fallen leaves and throw them away as soon as possible. Also, get rid of all the decaying organic materials and dead plants and leaves lying around in the garden. Trash cans near your house should be kept covered all at times and as soon it is filled, throw the garbage and cover it with clean garbage bags. 

Finally, conduct Flex 10-10 and Martin's IG Regulator treatments every 2 to 4 weeks as needed until there is no further gnat activity.

Key Takeaways

• Gnats can become a problem around the yard and garden when there is fungal disease development, rotting organic matter, or excess moisture.
• Applying a combination of Flex 10-10 and Pivot 10 IGR can kill fungus gnats in all of its stages and keep them off your property.
• Prevent gnat invasions by keeping your yard and garden neat and clean and addressing moisture problems.